Engagement MATtERS Arkansas
Engagement updates for the families, schools and communities of Arkansas
MAY 2023
arkansans support wynne following tornado
Prom plans are well underway, high school students have restarted classes in a borrowed location, and Wynne schools are going strong following the devastation caused by the F3 tornado that ripped through their town on March 31. The Wynne Parent Center was not in the path of the tornado that leveled the high school only blocks away, and longtime district parent coordinator Sherry Breckenridge has been able to provide crucial services for families in the weeks following the storm. While students were not in school buildings the afternoon that the deadly tornado hit, 112 students have lost their housing or have been unable to return to their residences due to damage from the storm.
On a day that DESE Engagement staff pitched in to help, Wynne Public Schools employees received two busloads of food, hygiene products, clothing, and other household donations from the Batesville School District, which is located about an hour and a half northwest of the small East Arkansas town. The Batesville team was led by Breckenridge's fellow engagement coordinator Laura Howard, who said their district was making its second round of donations in the aftermath of the storm. This trip, Batesville High School football team volunteers helped carry the boxes and bins inside. A Junior High art student sent a hand-painted sign of encouragement to the Wynne schools community. Several other districts have also sent aid, Breckenridge said, including Gosnell's FFA Club, Palestine-Wheatley, West Memphis' elementary school students, and sports teams from across the state. Wynne's maintenance staff was on hand to help, and have been instrumental in preparing spaces for students to return to classes.
The Wynne Parent Center, a standalone portable building at 1500 N. Lemons near the Primary School, has practically been transformed into a food pantry where affected families can obtain goods for free. Sherry and her helpers have also tirelessly processed paperwork in order for the displaced families to receive housing and other assistance via McKinney-Vento federal funds. #WynneStrong
Little Rock School District, Jacksonville North Pulaski, Pulaski County Special School District, and Wynne had numerous families who were impacted as the storms moved across the state. During a recent statewide Zoom meeting of family and community engagement coordinators, all districts expressed heartfelt thanks for the outpouring of support they have received, as recovery continues.
Sherry Breckenridge, longtime Wynne Public Schools coordinator for family and community engagement and the district's liaison for students experiencing homelessness, has coordinated services for families displaced by the F3 tornado that hit Wynne on March 31, 2023.
dese news nuggets
helping families WHO ARE experiencing homelessness
As Arkansas schools have moved from response to recovery from the recent string of storms and tornadoes this Spring, many districts are receiving families that have been displaced and are now seeking shelter in their districts. Little Rock School District, Jacksonville North Pulaski, Pulaski County Special School District, and Wynne had numerous families who were impacted.
DESE's homeless coordinator Jessica Hickman reminds schools to ensure they are documenting these students as McKinney-Vento-eligible and to proactively connect with their school of origin's district liaison for homelessness, so the district that lost the student can record where the students are now.
McKinney-Vento is a federal law that serves students who are identified as experiencing homelessness. As a state, Arkansas has significant resources to assist students and families who are experiencing homelessness, but must be established as such by completing required McKinney-Vento program paperwork in order to receive funding and services. For more information, contact Jessica Hickman at: Jessica.Hickman@ade.arkansas.gov or (501) 683-5428.
statewide community resource portal serves arkansas families
Don’t forget to check the statewide resource portal for information and resources to help families. Also, if you know of a resource that is not listed, please submit it as an addition to the database:
Statewide Community Resources Portal - Home (arkansas.gov)
february celebration of career and technical education
Career and Technical Education (CTE) Day at the Arkansas State Capitol building in late February showcased the work of more than 40 Career and Technical Education students who are members of eight Career and Technical Student Organizations in various career pathways of study. The event highlighted the students' leadership and achievements, CTE student data, available student certifications, how ACT WorkKeys prepares students for jobs beyond high school, the role of Secondary Career Centers, opportunities for special population students, and more.
A core pillar of Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders' education reform plan is "readiness," the "R" in Arkansas LEARNS, which places a strong emphasis on policies that prepare Arkansas students for the workforce. For more information about the ADE Division of Career and Technical Education, visit their website.
AEGIS SUMMER PROGRAMS CHALLENGE STUDENTS
The annual summer programs for learning enrichment opportunities provide the "wow factor" for many students who want to get outdoors, get in labs, get on their feet, get on stage, and otherwise get moving over the months between spring and fall semesters throughout the state.
Students in grades 7-12 across the state have eleven AEGIS opportunities to choose from this year. Parents and their students can learn more at dese.link/AEGIS and register for a residential or commuter program.
The Office of Gifted & Talented and Advanced Placement sponsors Academic Enrichment for Gifted/Talented in Summer (AEGIS) programs through grant funds from the Division of Elementary & Secondary Education. #ArkansasAEGIS
arkansas innovation
batesville PIONEERS community school
Community Schools Coordinator, Laura Howard and Batesville School District Superintendent Michael Hester played an active role as citizens in getting ACT 744 of 2021 passed in Arkansas. In the two years since, the District has successfully put into practice the "pillars" that define community schools as outlined in the legislation, and more. In May, Batesville will open its 3,628 square foot standalone parent center that will serve as a new hub to support the engagement and enrichment services for students and families in the north central Arkansas school district.
"When schools, families, and communities partner together, great things can happen to support student success," Howard said. "We are all working to address student learning, health and well-being, and the transition to career upon graduation—strategically aligning our actions, indicators, networks, and resources in support of shared goals." In a nutshell, community schools epitomize "engagement" as they heighten attention on the in- and out-of-school relationships, resources and opportunities that are needed in order for all young people to thrive.
Batesville's motto for their Community Schools initiative is, in fact: "Breaking Barriers, Bridging Gaps," highlighting such achievements as a telehealth services partnership with a local hospital, afterschool programs and care; school-site food and clothing pantries; citywide literacy programs and events; and a growing portfolio of academic, enrichment, and social services for students and families. Batesville has about 3,400 students and has affiliated with the Coalition for Community Schools, a national partner of the Institute for Educational Leadership.
Initially, ForwARd Arkansas brought the Community School strategies to the Batesville Chamber of Commerce, which brought the concept to the district, Howard said. Batesville was awarded a mini-grant from the NEA its first year of Community School status and has received continuation grants the last two years. Additionally, in 2022 Batesville was awarded a $400,000 Community School Model Initiative grant from the Arkansas Department of Human Services that is helping fund the development of the Hub: Pioneer Family Resource Center. The Center will house the social services offerings, space for parent training, a multicultural center, and family computer stations on the first floor, with District offices and administration relocating to the second floor. (See cconstruction images below.)
Batesville School District schools comprise 6 of the 16 established community schools within the Ark-LA-Miss region, and the district was the first in the state to launch its community school strategy. Little Rock School District has four community schools currently and is adding two more.
Howard reports that more than 750 people attended Batesville's recent Reading on the River event. More than 760 families participated in this year's needs assessment survey. In addition, Howard said Batesville will further measure the impact of its community school strategies using attendance, grades, behavior data, and stakeholder input, to improve student and family outcomes.
